How does the speed of replication in prokaryotes compare to the speed of replication in eukaryotes?

How does the speed of replication in prokaryotes compare to the speed of replication in eukaryotes?

• A. Prokaryotes are almost 20x faster
• B. Eukaryotes are faster
• C. They have the same speed
• D. Prokaryotes are slower

Answer: (D)

Replication speed is shaped by genome structure and chromatin organization. Prokaryotes have a compact, circular genome with a single origin of replication and no packaging of DNA into nucleosomes. This streamlined setup lets the replication machinery move quickly, so the forks progress rapidly and the genome is copied in a shorter time. In contrast, eukaryotes deal with linear chromosomes packaged into chromatin with histones, and replication must be coordinated across multiple origins and during the cell cycle. The chromatin and regulatory complexity slow the progression of replication forks. Because of these differences, prokaryotic replication tends to be faster than eukaryotic replication. The statement that prokaryotes are slower doesn’t fit this biology.

Replication speed is shaped by genome structure and chromatin organization. Prokaryotes have a compact, circular genome with a single origin of replication and no packaging of DNA into nucleosomes. This streamlined setup lets the replication machinery move quickly, so the forks progress rapidly and the genome is copied in a shorter time. In contrast, eukaryotes deal with linear chromosomes packaged into chromatin with histones, and replication must be coordinated across multiple origins and during the cell cycle. The chromatin and regulatory complexity slow the progression of replication forks. Because of these differences, prokaryotic replication tends to be faster than eukaryotic replication. The statement that prokaryotes are slower doesn’t fit this biology.